NEWARK — A Newark man has been arrested and charged with a Tuesday murder inside a South Ward apartment, authorities said.

Roderick Whipple, 50, has been charged with murder and weapons offenses in the death of David A. Johnson, 41, said Thomas Fennelly, the chief assistant Essex County Prosecutor.

Firefighters initially discovered Johnson while responding to a smoke condition in the apartment on the 100-block of Huntington Terrace at 4:30 p.m., Fennelly said. Officials found the smoke was coming from unattended cooking in the kitchen, authorities said.